The 2024 East Bay Restaurant Gift Guide
This is now my third official year of putting together a local gift guide for you all, and honestly, it's starting to become something I look forward to each holiday season! As a small business owner I am always working to support other small businesses, especially when it comes to the holiday season. A purchase from a small business during this time of year has a significant impact on the rest of the year, and not just to buy a third yacht or pad an extra fat bonus, but to put food on the table and make ends meet.
I'm sure it's no surprise to you that the past few years have been TOUGH on small businesses, and on working class America in general. One of the areas I've seen this impact the most in the recent months is in our beloved culinary industry here in the Bay Area. I've seen one after another groovy restaurant announce they're closing their doors over the past 6 months, and the post-holiday season is a notoriously slow time in the restaurant world.
For those of you looking for a place to celebrate with friends and family, share a libation, or treat yourself to something yummy this December and January, I wanted to share with you some of my favorite Bay Area food spots, which could all use our love this season and beyond. Of course many of these spots probably also offer gift certificates, so if you're looking for that perfect last-minute gift for a foodie friend or valued employee -
check em out!
Food is a passion of mine and there are so many others that I love too! This collection, however, are some of the ones that my husband and I love and frequently visit or have recently dined at.
And with that I give you a special spin on this year's gift guide, The EBH (Mostly) Local Holiday Restaurant Gift Guide!
For The Americana Fan Girls
I could probably write a novel about The Bull Valley Roadhouse and how much I love this local spot. As a Martinez resident not too far away from Port Costa, this is my go-to place whenever I want to celebrate or enjoy a good meal out. The ambiance, the vibe, the food, and the dangerously exquisite bar program make the BVR one of our most treasured restaurants in the Bay Area. If you head over there before the New Year, you'll even get to sample their not-so-secret egg nog menu, which the release of has become it's own holiday in my egg-nog loving house. Do yourself a favor and book a date night here, you and your sweetie
won't be disappointed.
For The Diner Loving Desperado
I first discovered Sam's from a co-worker who also loved good food, and at that time it was just a tiny spot in a small cabin in Albany down the road from my work. We would sneak off for the best brunches ever, and then talk about it all day long. Things have shifted and changed over the years and this amazing local, high-quality-ingredient-diner now has a beautiful patio for dining as well. Sam's wins my vote for the best diner food in the area that doesn't sacrifice ingredient quality or flair when churning out down home Americana classics in the vibiest of vibe garden settings, all while playing Bluegrass and Americana in the background (which is a major win for me having grown up in a Bluegrass household). Wander over to Albany
and support this local gem.
For The Homespun Maven
When I found my office and it was right across the street from this fairytale bakery, I almost had to pinch myself that it was real. The owner, Hannah, has turned vision into reality in this incredible bakery that makes every single item from scratch, mills their own flour, and is always getting inventive for the season and wherever there is a need in the community. One of the best croissants I've had in the Bay Area (across all the great spots), with a superb baguette, and apparent commitment to customer service and creativity in the bakery scene. Family owned and tried and true, One House Bakery is worth a visit to the charming and quaint town of Benicia just north of Martinez and the East Bay.
For The 90's Loving Funky Wine Fan
Quickly becoming one of my favorite Bay Area spots, this eclectic and 90's themed wine bar delivers interesting wines, a friendly and fun yet elevated vibe, and a seriously delicious cast of rotating food pop-ups to accompany your sips. They also offer a sweet little local wine club which I haven't joined, but consider almost on a monthly basis (maybe in 2025!). If you're feeling thirsty and want to have the nostalgia of the 90's pour over you while you drink and chat, this spot is a must try.
The first night we went was on Valentine's Day and Rose Pizzeria was popping up, all while the Spice Girls VHS played over the small screen in the corner and over the sound system. Fun, funky, tasty, and bottles to take home from the wine shop inside the bar - you can't go wrong!
For The Boho Coffee House Aficionado
Bartavelle was a well-loved Berkeley favorite for almost 12 years before they closed and transitioned into what is now called 86 Toast, serving pastries and coffee and snacks here and there. Bartavelle is an example of a local(ish) spot that had to pivot and tranform given the climate of the scene in our current time. I'd love to see them stay open in this new iteration, as I'm sure many other Bay Area foodies would as well. If you're looking for a new spot to support, go and check them out!
Having been in this space for over 12 years now the owners know a thing or two about how to serve up Bay Area goods, and I'm wishing them the best!
For Your Oyster Loving Bougie Buddy
This spot is probably tied with The Bull Valley Roadhouse in my personal list of favorite celebration spots. When I was working in Bolinas as a biologist we would make the trek out to this coastal oyster spot as a special treat. It was a tiny little thing with a few tables overlooking the bay, and it's turned into a weekend destination spot for oyster-loving folks from all over. The best oysters I've ever had, beautiful views of Tomales Bay, friendly staff, and immaculate coastal California vibes, The Marshall Store will always have my heart. They serve additional local seafood delicacies, have a great selection of bubbles and beer, and even serve some BBQ for those who don't love the sea's creatures as much as me. We love them so much we served their sister company (Tomales Bay Oyster Co)'s raw oysters at our wedding celebration and we go as often as we can slip away and make the drive out that way. Not local, but worth the drive and definitely worth the support. We love you, Marshall Store!
For The Die Hard Plant-Based Rebel
Starting in a small little spot in Pleasant Hill serving up plant-based only foods and drinks, it was so incredible to watch the community take to this spot like they did. Rooted is a thriving local business that stands by good food and good drinks, and the owners are committed to their vision. They have since opened an additional coffee house in Downtown Walnut Creek, as well as a plant-based community Market down the street from their P-Hill location called The Market by Rooted. They serve delicious drinks, tasty vegan bites, and a lotta community vibes in their eclectic and well-loved spots in the deep East Bay.
As an added bonus, they also serve your's truly's teas, so next time you visit (or the first time you visit after reading this review) make sure to keep an eye out for East Bay Herbals lovingly crafted blends just for this spot :)
For The Bay-Centric Fine Dining Enthusiast
Though my write up will be lost in a seas of write-up about the Anchovy Bar, this fresh and DELICIOUS San Francisco spot is the third creative project of Michelin and James Beard celebrated chef, Stuart Brioza. Alongside State Bird Provisions and Progress SF, this sweet little spot serves up Bay Area vibes and bay-centric fare with their anchovy themed menu that features local bay 'chovies on an en exquisite toast.
They just closed and reopened after a renovation and menu change, and we were lucky enough to eat there on their first night open! We even got to watch the head chef prepare our meals, which our server let us know was a real treat - and boy was she was not wrong! We loved everything we had, including a stellar NA sparking wine, worth the reservation and visit to SF. A chef friend of mine from LA originally recommended this spot a couple of years ago, and I will always be grateful for his stellar shout out of this special Bay Area spot.
For The One Who Just Loves a Good Burger
This one definitely steals the show for my husband on this list, and honestly, I'm not too far behind. we talk about getting a lovely burger at least twice a month, though we don't make it out as often as we would like. It's really hard to go wrong with the simple and expertly done burger menu at Lovely's in Oakland, located in the beer garden at Two Pitcher's Brewery in downtown. The burgers, chicken and fish sandwiches, friend, and shakes are all divine, and are sure to please all your food loving friends from the bougiest of bougie to the most comfort-food loving ones, all in a relaxed and fun environment that makes dining feel like being a kid again.
They just opened a second location in San Francisco's Cole Valley, and while we have yet to visit, I'm sure it's just as incredible as their OG Oakland one.
✨ Lots of Local Love ✨
Alright folks, that about does it! This sweet little guide is fun riff on my normal gift guide, and is by no means an exhaustive list of all the amazing local restaurants and cafes that I dine at in the Bay Area and beyond. As someone who has always loved good food (no joke, my Grandpa used to say he loved to watch me eat because I savored every bite so much) there are so many other spots in the Bay Area I love that I couldn't fit in. This sweet little guide is but a mere sampling of some of my favorite local(ish) haunts that I want to see stay open for many years to come. As my Dad always says, "if you like a place, you have to visit it, otherwise it doesn't stick around" and I have seen that to be so true in the Bay Area.
Regardless of where you dine this holiday, I encourage you all to eat small and local(ish) as much as you can. Each purchase made at one of these restaurants literally makes the biggest difference in a small business owner
(and their employees) day, life, and year. Want to share this guide with other's? You can also find it on the East Bay Herbals website, below!
✨ Eat Small This Holiday Season + New Year and Help Spread the Cheer! ✨
Comments